February 2, 2018
In response to significant flu activity in our community, St. Peter’s Health Medical Group (SPHMG) will open a Flu Clinic on Monday, February 5. The clinic will provide care exclusively for community members experiencing flu-like symptoms, including fever, dry cough, runny or stuffy nose and sore throat. Medical group providers will staff the clinic from 8:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. Monday through Friday at SPHMG – Broadway Clinic located at 2550 E. Broadway St. in Helena. Patients will be seen by appointment only and can schedule an appointment by calling 406-457-4180. The clinic will remain open through the end of the flu season.
As of January 27, the State of Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) reported 3,289 confirmed cases of influenza in Montana with 21 deaths since the start of flu season. “Over the last few weeks we have seen a significant increase in patients with confirmed influenza and flu-like symptoms at all our locations and from January 21- 27, Lewis and Clark County saw 64 new confirmed cases,” said Brian Lee, Vice President of SPHMG. “We are opening the Flu Clinic to expand the community’s access to care during this time by providing another option for patients to seek care from a provider. While the flu is this prevalent in our community, we strongly encourage people experiencing flu-like symptoms to visit their primary care provider, the Flu Clinic, an urgent care location or the emergency department.”
By making an appointment at the Flu Clinic, individuals with flu-like symptoms can minimize their wait time to see a provider. “It’s our goal to increase accessibility to providers so those who have flu-like symptoms are able to receive convenient and timely evaluation and treatment,” said Lee.
The earlier an individual knows they have influenza the better. According to Dr. Todd Wampler, SPHMG Primary Care Medical Director, “it is important to start your course of antiviral medication early if it is determined you need medication for influenza. It can help reduce symptoms and shorten the duration of your illness. There is also a lot of illness in the community that includes flu-like symptoms, but is not influenza. Even if this is the case, it is still important to visit a provider so you can rule out influenza and learn about over-the-counter as well as self-care options like staying hydrated and resting that will get you back to optimal health as soon as possible.”
To learn more about the flu clinic, visit https://www.sphealth.org/FluClinic.
St. Peter’s Health
St. Peter’s Health is a system of health care services including a 123-bed acute care hospital, physician clinics, cancer treatment center, behavioral health unit, urgent care clinics, home health and hospice care, dialysis center and ambulance services. St. Peter’s Health serves the Helena region and southwest Montana counties of Lewis and Clark, Broadwater, Jefferson, Meagher and Powell, with a combined population of approximately 97,000 residents. The mission of St. Peter’s Health is to partner with patients and the community to provide exceptional and compassionate health care. For more information, visit sphealth.org.
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